BAM!! Lightning struck right next to our huge oak tree. Thankful it wasn't a few feet over and didn't kill the tree. But blast it, it did. Dead limbs were shattered and the large squirrel nest near the top exploded. Some of it was hanging from it's perch but most was on the ground along with the wood pieces. We were without internet and phones. Today the technician came out for service. Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon standing outside on pavement in 90+ heat for almost an hour with many people ahead of me. Twice. Spectrum's policy is one person per employee so two are allowed inside. After the first replacement modem did not work, back in line I went. The male employee was rude, snotty, and a real pr**k. The second modem did not work. My $5 cell phone has no bars in my area and I was running all over the yard as if in a Verizon commercial. "Can you hear me now?" After dozens of failed calls, I got through for activation of both new modems. They activated. With the wrong codes. So the wonderful tech got us going, but my 5 cordless phones set has to be replaced, which will come Sunday. Then I found out that the tablet I purchased for Carole cannot be used on her plan because they didn't tell me it needs to be 4G/cellular. It's wireless without that feature. Useless since she does not have internet, only cell service. Great. I had asked her many times to contact Verizon and get the info for me but as usual, she does nothing I ask. Now she won't be getting a new tablet because they are all more than I expected to pay. Yes, I've been a crabass.
So my new project is the sweetie I showed back in May (canNOT believe it was that long ago and August is next week). Of course, I am changing it. The house bricks will be a darker mustard and brown, the birds will be more of a feature. And I didn't want the bottom area. So Paint to the rescue! After many attempts at colors for house and birds and flowers, I decided on the pale rose breast and two shades of gray. Or maybe the dark blue. But definitely with a straight and simple bottom border. Flowers may end up a darker rose than the breasts, if not, pale gold, otherwise it looks too fussy to me. The first is the original, and far right what I will stitch.
And for those that are surprised about cat's spray ruining anything, it does. My new shrubs that weren't protected by the prickly mats are brown at the bottom, and this area of white on the A/C is how the ammonia in their spray/urine corroded the fins.
Petey is the real culprit but a lot of the damage happened before he arrived. The spray is minimal and a way of marking territory, but potent! Males just lift their tail as they casually walk by, stop for a second, and continue walking. The barn the barrels the posts the trees the plant stands his house my house doors benches everything!!
And then they sleep.
Have a good Wednesday!!
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13 comments:
I didn't think Male cats sprayed if they're neutered. My guy doesn't spray.
Bud and Nit were neutered 10 years ago and as soon as another male comes around, they start marking their territory.
I like the colors in the middle sampler and I like the border. I laugh because you seem to have to do a lot of frogging and I’m right behind you. I have floaters so I think that may be my problem. You are so good to Carole. She’s very lucky to have you. Laughing, you can love them or leave them, the cats! My two drive me nuts but I love them. Keep your sense of humor. It gives me a laugh.
I actually like the colors you picked the best. The first one seems dull and the middle one a bit too bright for me. So just like the three bears, the last one is just right. If I had to stand in a hot line, I would be a crabass too!
You are such a kind person to Carole, but take care of yourself too!
Like your new sampler but I would do the colors of the middle border in the right sampler.
Lovely picture of the sleeping kitties-adorable when sleeping but otherwise...
Have a great day
Greetings Truus from Holland
Get this...........our girl, Pippa, sprays in the kitty pan, Sheldon, her brother, squats...............What's up with that ?
Sorry you're having such a problem with Petey and other stray male kitties.
I finished your AMERICA...sweet land of liberty chart. Now want to fix it like you did, making it a bag. Love it.
Glad the tree did not do damage to your home.
We're supposed to have strong storms this afternoon and evening. So many trees around my house. Would have them all cut down if I had the $$$.
Take care, stay cool.
Charlotte in Va.
Marly, I am sorry about the lightning strike near your tree and the damage it did to the tree along with the loss of internet, etc. Love the new sampler pick; love the colors you picked over the original. I look forward to seeing your progress on it.
Sorry about the tree, internet, and phones. I've got a huge soft spot for big old oaks, especially burr oaks. Does it make a difference on age of cat when neutered if they will spray or not afterward? No clue, they are such independent individuals. And yes, the spray is very corrosive and stinks to high heaven. It's a toss up whether cat spray or skunk spray is worse to my nose.
Carole and the tablet... crabass away! You asked her to make a phone call, it's not like you expected her to go stand in line somewhere for hours.
I was at my friend’s house and it smelled like cat urine so I thought she just had a litter box somewhere. However, the cat came into the living room and while standing there, he urinated all over the front of her couch arm. I had never seen a male cat pee like that! So I know what you mean when these cats are peeing on all the stuff. I never had a male cat in my house so didn’t know they did this. I am not sure about the neutering. I wonder if the vet could answer? Thanks for your stories-you make it real.
Sorry about all your troubles. People are also unaware that female ( spayed) also can spray. Lightening can be a fickle thing, many years ago ( another house ) lightening hit the barn where a metal fan vent was, it hit a sleeping cat and singed his whiskers and then followed the line into the house and blew out a tv! What fun. Like the new sampler except not really crazy about bird colors . It is hard to judge from a flat photo. I am sure it will be beautiful. Stay cool
EEEEK..... I really don't like close lightening like that....When I was a child, lightening struck a huge tree in the field outside our house.... Woke everyone from a dead sleep and lit the sky on fire and the tree blazed for hours. Every since then it has scared me. Bummer about all the tech issues....and making me dread all the more my major task for the day: Calling Frontier to get a wire issue fixed inside the lake house. Months ago, our phone there suddenly stopped working, so I called them. They sent a technician out rather promptly, but he concluded it was an inside wire issue and, of course, technicians weren't allowed in the house because of COVID...plus I didn't have an inside wire maintenance plan so it would have cost a fortune. I did have an electrician look at it, and he couldn't find the problem, so I invested in the inside wire maintenance plan (after being told 6 different prices for it, by 2 different people, different requirements for how long I would have to keep it, and being told, at one point, I'd have to pay an $80 installation fee. Hello?? It's a "plan"...what's there to "install"??) After 4+ frustrating days over the past month and a half the phone with them, I have the plan....but now they still can't come out supposedly because of COVID....so I have a long telephone cord running from the outside phone box, up the front stairs, through the front door, the entry way, the living room, the kitchen, to the first available phone jack. (And don't ask how many times I have tripped on the damn thing or how many times I have had to shoo cats away from chewing on it.) So, today is the day I promised myself I would try one more time. But, thought I'd catch up on my blog reading first....and read your lovely tale.... Maybe tomorrow LOL. Anyways....I am not very visual....I think the middle one is too "busy" colorwise, but I do actually like the original version and colors....but I know once I see your tweaks, I'll declare you a woman of true vision as always. You just have the gift. ~Robin~
Marly: I am so sorry all this has happened to you, you are truly tested daily, when will all this crap stop for you, my heart goes out to you.
Bad Petey, very bad Petey, Blondie says stop doing that spraying.
I do love the one you are going to stitch, the border on the bottom looks better and not so cluttered.
I am looking forward to seeing your progress.
Catherine
Marly, you are a good sister and are surely earning your crown in heaven. Carole should be very grateful to you. I know all about cat spray and not even neutering can stop it! One of my males sprayed our $4K custom living room drapes but I still loved that cat and was heartbroken when he died at 18 years old.
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